MOBILE, Ala. – Rutgers softball split the second day of the Mardi Gras Classic.

The Scarlet Knights improved to 8-0 with a 7-1 win in their second meeting with Mississippi Valley State but had their season-opening streak come to a halt in a 4-1 setback to South Alabama.

Rutgers 7, Mississippi Valley State 1

• Morgan Smith went 2-for-3 including back-to-back RBI doubles while Kyleigh Sand was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs including one from stealing home.
• Ashley Hitchcock moved to 3-0 on the season allowing no hits and striking out six in 4.0 innings inside the circle.

• Rutgers got onto the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. With runners in scoring position and two outs, Maddie Lawson delivered the sacrifice fly to center allowing Calista Collins to put the run up on the scoreboard.
• The Scarlet Knights jumped out to a 5-0 at the end of four. Both Katie Wingert and Morgan Smith swung for RBI doubles, while Kyleigh Sand notched an RBI single to center and later stole home.
  While the Devilettes scored in the fifth on a two-out single to right by Aulora Edwards, RU answered with two runs on four hits in the sixth. It was back-to-back doubles for Smith, while Leilani Chavez made it 7-1 with an infield single.

South Alabama 4, Rutgers 1

• Kyleigh Sand led the bats going 2-for-3 while Kobie Hura scored RU's lone run.
• Morgan Smith dropped to 1-1 fanning three along the way.

• Kobie Hura put up the nightcap's first run in the top of the fourth. The junior Scarlet Knight singled to left and reached second on a stolen base. After reaching third off a single by Katie Wingert to center, Hura was able to capitalize on the error on the throw from the outfield for the 1-0 lead.
• South Alabama, however, came back taking advantage of Scarlet Knight miscues for a 3-1 edge. Odalys Cordova led off the Jaguars at-bat with a single to center, advanced to second on the errant pitch, reached third off a throw and then scored. Later in the inning, two more runs came in off a bad throw to first.
• The Jaguars posted another run as Cordova doubled to right and M Brasher scored off a relay throw.<>< li=""> <>